Salting a Gold Mine.

Thames Star, Volume XIII, Issue 4243, 7 August 1882, Page 3

Salting a Gold Mine.

At the Adelaide Police Court recently a ' mine manager named J. E. Haytread was - charged with publishing, with intent to defraud,, certain .statements to the effect that the Victor George mineatHalmdorf, S.A., wa«4» genuine field for action, and that a small crushing taken at random from the claims, showed-five ounces of; gold from the retort. From the evidence ' it appeared that in September last the | defendant went to a mining agent named^ ClfiXton stating that he had discovered a valuable reef,-and requested him to obtain £300 for the purchase of it, £200 to be • paid to the original owners, and £100 for, ~ the purpose of working the claim. On hisrepresentatiops some twelve or thirteen gentlemen promised to subscribe £25 each - for the purpose of working the j.ronnd, they merely requiring that Haytread should crush five tons' of quartz to test .its ral"e . This Haytread promised to do.:and nf a meeting of the shareholders he produced a button of gold, weighing about fire ounces, saying —•' This is the result of the assay." It was-handed to Claxton, and was quite warm, as though just but of the c.ucible. In consequenceC'f Hay triad's representations,'a company was formed, the defend ant was-appointed mine manager, and a large number of shares were taken up. A large crushing of 90 Jons was taken I out, and, on being crushed, produced only twelve pennyweights of gold The evidence of Mr A. Thomas, analytical chemist, was that Haytread came to him with several ouDces of amalgam, which be wanted him to reduce to a button of gold. He told defendant he had no retort to save the mercury, but it could be driven off by careiul heating without losing any of the gold. Defendant agreed to this, and witness promised he would have the stuff ready for him next morning, as he said it was wanted about ten o'clock at a meeting to show some friends, .Witness did the woik next morning, aDd had it ready about 9 a.m., when the defendant came for it. Told him the weight of the button he got was two ounces some pennyweights ; less than 2f ounces. Be- said that is not enough ; that will not do; the gold must have been lost in the tailings. Witness said none had been lost in his process, Defendant suggested that the weiylit be made up by adding gold 'o it. He said the result was from five^tons, and he wanted to make up to an ounce a ton. He said he would get some sovereigns and add to it, but witness objected, saying it was not usual to. do so, and he objected to having anything to do with it. Defendant said, I am not going t0,.d0 any harm with it or anything wrong",- aid upon this assurance witness consented, to melt the sovereigns. Defendant went away to get ten sovereigns, having asked how many were needed to make up the two ounces and a half. Eventually defendant came back with the sovereigns. Witness bad the furnace and crucible ready heated. Haytread went" down "w.ith him and put them at the -side of the furnace, while ' witness dropped___lhLem__QP«»"—byrr-onc-—TEßnUe potT so that he should see 'that all were put in. He asked how, long it would be before be would be ready with the button, and witness said about half an hour. Haytread said he would go over to Jackman's and see parties waiting for him. When he returned the gold was ready. The button (produced) was the one, and filled the mould (produced). Recognised the button in Court by the mark of a hammer and a crack. Weighed the'button and gave it to Haytread. It weighed less than five ounces. Some time afterwards, Haytread informed j him that rumors were going round that ' gold had been put in the button, and asked him if he had told anyone. Witness said be bad' tcld Mr Claxton. , Defendant asked, " What did you tell i him?" Witness said he told Claxton ] that Haytread had given him the ten | sovereigns to put in the gold, and that he j had done so. Haytread said, " That was perfectly correct, and you know the gold was lostj and it was to make up for that, but I did not think, you would tell anyone. I will go and see the Directors, and make it all right with them." Haytread paid wi'.ness a guinea for melting the gold. Alfred yon Doussa, who was present at the crushing of the fire tons, deposed that the amalgam obtained was equivalent to about two ounces of gold. The defendant, who made no defence, was committed for trial.